Written Answers Tuesday 13 September 2005

Scottish Executive

Alzheimer’s Disease

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a full range of treatments to help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Lewis Macdonald: It is the responsibility of NHS boards, working with their care partners, to assess the needs of their population and provide appropriate assessment and diagnostic services, care and support to meet those needs.

  Decisions on treatment and individual care programmes are a matter for clinicians in consultation with the individual and the relevant multi-agency professional staff. Care and support in each case should always be based on individually assessed needs and in consultation with carers and family members as appropriate.

  The Executive published guidance in November last year which offers advice for agencies to help inform the best organisation of care and support for those with dementia and their carers (Bib. number 37332).

Best Value

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to develop best value audits for NHS boards.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive is currently consulting on proposals for Best Value in Public Services, which include NHS boards. The findings of this consultation will help to shape the future arrangements adopted.

Breastfeeding

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many mothers are still breastfeeding their babies at six weeks (a) nationally and (b) in Glasgow.

Lewis Macdonald: The following table shows the number and percentage of mothers recorded as still breastfeeding their babies based on the review at six to eight weeks after birth. This review is conducted by 10 NHS boards across Scotland representing over 80% of the population.

  Number and Percentage Recorded as Breastfed at the Six to Eight Week Review - Year Of Birth 2004

  

 
Number Breastfed
Percentage Breastfed


10 NHS Boards
13,935
35.9


Glasgow
2,886
35.7



  Source: ISD Scotland, May 2005.

Civil Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether low pay and the need for economic regeneration are criteria used in determining where government jobs are dispersed to.

George Lyon: Low pay and the need for regeneration are criteria considered when deciding on relocation. A full account of the criteria considered can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Relocation/Introduction .

Civil Service

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service jobs have been relocated to rural Scotland and to where they have been relocated.

George Lyon: Under the Scottish Executive’s Relocation policy 507 public service jobs have been relocated to rural Scotland. The relocation of job opportunities to Scotland’s more rural areas includes:

  
Tiree (Croft House Grant Scheme, eight posts); 
Kinlochleven (Scottish Executive’s Central Enquiry Unit, nine posts); 
Dumfries (NHS Central Registrar, 17 posts); 
Inverness (Scottish Natural Heritage, 245 posts); 
Galashiels (Scottish Public Pensions Agency, 218 posts), and 
Dingwall and Tain (Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, six and four posts).

Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18038 by Rhona Brankin on 19 August 2005, whether it will list submissions received by email in response to the consultation on the draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Rhona Brankin: The information requested in given in the following table.

  

No
Name
Organisation
Address
Town
County
Postcode


1
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


37
David Cable
 
Address Withheld
 
 


38
Polly McPherson
Scottish Estates Business Group
27 Silvermills Court 
Henderson PL Lane
Edinburgh
EH3 5DG


42
Eleanor Scott
Green Group of MSPs
Scottish Parliament
 
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP


43
David Green
Crofters Commission
3 Castle Wynd
 
Inverness
IV2 3EQ


47
Janice Milne
SEPA
Erskine Court
Castle Business Park
Stirling
FK9 4TR


48
Gordon McConaghie
Prospect
G-H32
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ


49
Andrew Drummond-Hunt
Shetland Council
4 Market St
Lerwick
Shetland
ZE1 0JN


72
Stewart Lambie
 
Burnbank
Brodick
Arran
KA27 8DF


79
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


80
Name and Address Witheld
 
 
 
 


81
Mrs B Charlene Macleod
Address Withheld
 
 


82
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


83
Maf Smith
Scottish Renewables Forum
The Beacon
176 St Vincent St
Glasgow
G2 5SG


84
James MacPherson
Torrabus, Kirk
Wick
Caithness
KW1 4TR


85
John Toal
 
40A Tomnahurich St
Inverness
IV3 5DS


86
John Bannister
 
Address Withheld
 
 


87
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


88
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


89
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


90
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


91
Alasdair B MacMhaoirn
Muigh Shios
Sgìre Raoird
Cataibh
IV28 3UB


92
Russell Smith
 
Drumbhan
Airdens
Bonar Bridge
IV24 3AS


93
Sandra Holmes
Plockton Grazings Committee
Tigh Lar, Croft 110
Drumbuie
Kyle
IV40 8BD


94
Clare McQuade and George Murphy
by email
 
 
 


95
Name and Address Witheld
 
 
 
 


96
?
SRPBA
Stuart House
Eskmills Business Park
Musselburgh
EH21 7PB


99
John McMorran
Clyne Hill and Clynelish Moss Common Grazings
3 Balnacoil
Strathbrora
Sutherland
KW9 6LX


100
Alex A MacDonald
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Sandwick Road
Stornoway
Lewis
HS1 2BW


101
CONFIDENTIAL
 
 
 
 
 


127
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


128
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


129
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


130
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


131
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


132
Brian Inkster
Inksters Solicitors
Baltic Chambers
50 Wellington St
Glasgow
G2 6HJ


133
Dr Robert K Bain
The Highland Council
Glenurqhuart House
 
Inverness
IV3 5NX


134
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


135
John O’Rourke
 
13 Shielfoot
Acharacle
Argyll
 


136
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


137
William J Ross
Highland Forestry Forum
An Crasg, West Drummuie
Golspie
Sutherland
KW10 6TA


138
Dr Michael Foxley
 
by email
 
 
 


139
Steve McCombe
 
Address Withheld
 
 


140
Lisa Webb
NFU Scotland
by email
 
 
 


142
Patrick Krause
SCF 
The Steading
Balmacara Square
Balmacara
IV40 8DJ


145
Rob Gibson MSP
Scottish National Party
Room M1.11
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP


146
William Neilson
Kirkton, Balindore, Airds and Lornfurnace
27 Cruachan Cottage
Taynuilt
Argyll
 


147
Eilidh Sinclair.
Shielfoot Grazings Committee
by email
 
 
 


148
Karen-Jane Stewart
Scottish Water
6 Castle Drive
Carnegie Campus
Dunfermline
KY11 8GG


149
Allan Wilson MSP
Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Parliament
 
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP


151
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


152
Sandy Cumming
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Cowan House
Inverness Business Park
Inverness
IV2 7GF


153
Confidential
 
 
 
 
 


155
Andrew Stewart
Faculty of Advocates
Advocates Library
Parliament House
Edinburgh
EH1 1RF

Culture

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its officials are currently working on the national language strategy.

Patricia Ferguson: The responsibility for the preparation and oversight of the National Languages Strategy resides with the Tourism, Culture and Sport Group of the Scottish Executive Education Department. Officials within this group are also drawing on the expertise of officials with other language interests elsewhere in the Executive.

Culture

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the provisional date is for publishing the national language strategy.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive is committed to introducing a national language strategy within the lifetime of this Parliament.

Digital Technology

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the rate of progress made by BT in respect of broadband provision in rural areas; what measures are in place to monitor BT’s progress towards installing cabling to connect rural households to broadband, and when it expects such cabling to be installed in Carrbridge.

Tavish Scott: Under the Executive’s contract award with BT, 378 rural exchanges are being enabled for broadband. This roll-out is proceeding to plan and monitoring is in place to ensure we deliver access to every community by the end of 2005.

  There is a technical issue for providing broadband to households connected to "shared" DACS (Digital Access Carrier System) lines. However, BT’s UK-wide policy is to solve this, where financially viable, by providing those households that have applied for a broadband service with an exclusive exchange line.

  The Carrbridge exchange was enabled commercially by BT and not through the Executive’s contract. BT recognise that a very small number of customers on this exchange are currently unable to receive broadband because they are on DACS lines. Therefore, they plan to lay new cable and expect to resolve the issue there within the next two months.

Enterprise

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been awarded to companies in North Ayrshire under regional selective assistance (RSA) in each year since 1999 and how many jobs have been safeguarded by RSA, broken down by company.

Allan Wilson: Since January 1999 to end August 2005, 54 offers of RSA were accepted by businesses in the North Ayrshire Council Area. The total amount of RSA accepted was £29.2 million for projects linked to the planned creation of 1,183 new jobs and the safeguarding of a further 2,295.

  The following tables show the accepted offers broken down by company for each calendar year since 1999. However, please note that not all RSA assisted projects proceed, and nor do all accepted offers result in full payment, as projects are sometimes scaled down or abandoned before payments are made.

  1999

  

Company Name
Grant Offered
New Jobs
Safeguarded Jobs


Cenes Drug Delivery Ltd
£650,000
45
0


Sigma-Aldrich Company Ltd
£450,000
26
11


Allenwest Wallacetown Ltd
£250,000
96
0


Smithkline Beecham plc
£1,500,000
19
87


Troon Investments Ltd
£1,535,000
0
225


Simclar (Ayrshire) Ltd
£1,500,000
0
160


Marlin Scotland Ltd
£25,000
3
3


Total
£5,910,000
189
486



  2000

  

Company Name
Grant Offered
New Jobs
Safeguarded Jobs


Wellhall Foods (Scotland) Ltd
£15,000
4
0


Smithkline Beecham plc
£2,250,000
0
200


Planopack (UK) Ltd
£25,000
3
0


Arthur McLuckie & Son Ltd
£170,000
11
9


Rockware Group plc
£900,000
17
197


Robertryan Timber Engineering Ltd
£64,000
8
0


Roche Vitamins (UK) Ltd
£629,000
27
10


Irvine Spring Company Ltd
£20,000
1
2


Total
£4,073,000
71
418



  2001

  

Company Name
Grant Offered
New Jobs
Safeguarded Jobs


Abbey Electronics (Scotland) Ltd
£50,000
50
0


Citiraya UK plc
£125,000
28
0


Excell Contact Centres
£250,000
211
6


Johnstone Castings & Engineering Ltd
£700,000
35
10


Streetprint Impressions Ltd
£64,000
14
0


AGB Engineering Services
£16,500
4
0


Orcam Engineering Ltd
£12,000
3
1


Total
£1,217,500
345
17



  2002

  

Company Name
Grant Offered
New Jobs
Safeguarded Jobs


Smithkline Beecham plc
£4,000,000
0
310


Music Mountain Music Ltd
£40,000
4
0


Evolvon Ltd
£18,000
1
12


SSI Enclosures
£38,000
6
0


Kingstone & Mortars Ltd
£36,000
3
0


British Polythene Ltd T/A BPI Industrial
£450,000
10
20


Glen Foundry plc T/A Anderson Stewart
£84,000
0
10


NACCO Materials Handling Group Ltd
£48,000
0
28


Wescot Credit Services Ltd
£240,000
110
0


AEA Technology plc
£900,000
96
0


Total
£5,854,000
230
380



  2003

  

Company Name
Grant Offered
New Jobs
Safeguarded Jobs


Calman Technology Ltd
£30,000
3
0


Excell Contact Centres
£450,000
128
0


Kingstone & Mortars Ltd
£175,000
18
0


NACCO Materials Handling Group Ltd
£850,000
0
279


Millar Callaghan Engineering Services Ltd
£30,000
4
0


Simclar (Ayrshire) Ltd
£1,100,000
0
120


Bioforce UK Ltd
£170,000
25
5


Total
£2,805,000
178
404



  2004

  

Company Name
Grant Offered
New Jobs
Safeguarded Jobs


Plastic Mouldings Ltd
£80,000
8
0


NACCO Materials Handling Group Ltd
£100,000
32
0


EDC (Scotland) Ltd
£70,000
6
0


W & J Knox Ltd
£12,000
0
1


Volaro Ltd
£135,000
9
0


Airframe Components Europe Ltd
£150,000
21
0


Hugh King & Co
£50,000
2
5


Prestwick Circuits Ltd
£1,000,000
0
200


British Polythene Ltd T/A BPI Industrial
£700,000
1
129


Total
£2,297,000
79
335



  2005 (to end August)

  

Company Name
Grant Offered
New Jobs
Safeguarded Jobs


Datec Technologies Ltd
£140,000
25
0


Pierceton Engineering Ltd
£135,000
13
14


JRG Group Ltd
£470,000
40
0


DSM Nutritional Product (UK) Ltd
£6,000,000
0
225


QinetiQ Group plc
£170,000
2
16


Windhoist Ltd
£100,000
11
0


Total
£7,015,000
91
255

Environment

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to the introduction of environmental courts and, if so, what the (a) steps planned are and (b) timescale is to take forward their introduction.

Ross Finnie: The Partnership Agreement contains a range of commitments to help tackle environment crime. A number of these commitments such as legislation on nature conservation, increased training for police dealing with wildlife crime, and consultation on access to courts for NGOs under the Aarhus Convention have already been implemented. On others such as the commitment to consider the case for environmental courts, work is proceeding and we shall make announcements in due course.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advantage a graduate applying for a visa under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme will have over other similar graduates who do not apply through the scheme.

Mr Tom McCabe: Graduates under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme will be able to stay in Scotland for up to two years following graduation. They will be able to work during that period without the need for a work permit.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to expand the Fresh Talent initiative to allow graduates from previous years to apply.

Mr Tom McCabe: Under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme, graduates have up to 12 months to apply following the completion of their studies. This means that those who completed their studies up to 12 months before the scheme was launched on 22 June 2005 are eligible to apply. We have no plans to consider any further expansions of the scheme at this stage, although we will keep this under review.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduates it expects to apply for the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme in each of the next five years.

Mr Tom McCabe: We have not set targets for the numbers applying to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme. However, we will be monitoring the scheme carefully.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18180 by Lewis Macdonald on 22 August 2005, which developments referred to in Adding Life To Years are being monitored by the implementation group set up by its Health Department.

Lewis Macdonald: The Implementation Group concluded its work following the Adding Life to Years National Conference in June 2003.

Homelessness

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many homeless people received housing support through the Supporting People programme in each local authority area in 2003-04 and what percentage of the total Supporting People client group this represented in each local authority.

Malcolm Chisholm: The percentage of people who were homeless or sleeping rough and who received housing support funded through the Supporting People programme is shown in table 4 of the Statistical Bulletin People assisted through Supporting People funding: 2003-04 . The table also includes the total number of people receiving Supporting People funding by local authority. This publication is available on-line through the publication section of the housing statistics branch reference site at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/housing/hsbref (bulletin HSG/2005/2).

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a registered social landlord is permitted to transfer a tenant to what it considers to be more suitable accommodation, without the tenant requesting the transfer, and what legislation permits or disallows a transfer of this nature.

Malcolm Chisholm: A registered social landlord cannot transfer a tenant without that tenant’s consent unless it obtains a court order. The legislation governing the grounds for recovery of possession of a house by a registered social landlord is contained in Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) average time and (b) cost is for a local authority or registered social landlord to evict a tenant under antisocial behaviour legislation.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications were made to evict tenants of registered social landlords or local authorities under antisocial behaviour legislation during 2003-04 and how many such applications resulted in an eviction being granted.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not hold data on the number of applications made by registered social landlords (RSLs) or local authorities during this period to evict tenants under antisocial behaviour legislation, only the number of cases which proceeded to court and the number of evictions granted. During 2003-04, RSLs raised legal actions to evict tenants on the grounds of antisocial behaviour which proceeded to court on 34 occasions. Twenty-three resulted in eviction orders being granted. Over the same period, local authorities raised such actions to evict tenants which proceeded to court on 116 occasions. Forty-six resulted in eviction orders.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will provide evidence that houses in multiple occupation licensing regulations have been complied with to the fullest extent.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive collects statistics on local authorities’ licensing activity for Houses in Multiple Occupation, including the number of licences granted and the number revoked. These figures show that the number of licences in force rose by 97% during the year 2004-05. It is for local authorities to place conditions on licences and to ensure that these are complied with throughout the period of the licence.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions for speeding there have been in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table.

  Speeding Offences Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts, 1999-2003

  

Year 
Number 


1999 
14,922 


2000 
11,931 


2001 
10,579 


2002 
10,138 


20032 
12,635 



  Notes:

  1. Includes motorway and clearway offences.

  2. Includes estimated data.

Licensing

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many premises with off-sale liquor licences there have been in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

George Lyon: The available information is given in the following table.

  Premises with Off-Sales Liquor Licences in Force, by Local Authority Area, 1997-2004

  

Local Authority
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
20031
20041


Aberdeen City
312
282
248
286
245
263
269
263


Aberdeenshire
256
259
273
273
274
257
275
255


Angus
115
117
121
118
121
118
122
125


Argyll and Bute
206
202
238
175
207
201
201
176


Clackmannanshire
66
75
90
73
75
78
78
69


Dumfries and Galloway
258
266
263
275
242
244
242
239


Dundee City
154
153
164
164
155
156
163
161


East Ayrshire
156
148
148
142
145
138
141
141


East Dunbartonshire
78
77
77
84
86
81
82
76


East Lothian
120
120
117
104
123
123
121
113


East Renfrewshire
47
55
48
48
69
49
49
60


Edinburgh, City of
614
623
635
637
654
654
636
640


Eilean Siar
33
31
33
34
33
34
34
37


Falkirk
216
223
211
201
190
181
194
197


Fife
465
464
458
452
452
453
465
447


Glasgow City
590
546
574
568
582
524
611
634


Highland
414
419
423
438
414
439
423
434


Inverclyde
77
81
83
87
83
85
92
94


Midlothian
94
89
93
90
91
88
83
81


Moray
158
149
139
134
134
133
133
127


North Ayrshire
171
169
174
171
165
156
154
156


North Lanarkshire
322
327
327
331
328
325
319
317


Orkney Islands
46
45
47
47
46
49
52
54


Perth and Kinross
213
216
210
222
219
217
219
212


Renfrewshire
152
160
157
161
162
170
167
171


Scottish Borders
148
146
142
142
144
150
147
162


Shetland Islands
53
50
48
46
47
48
45
48


South Ayrshire
162
160
162
159
156
161
153
159


South Lanarkshire
235
233
236
242
230
219
231
222


Stirling
151
152
157
151
155
147
176
161


West Dunbartonshire
124
119
118
118
117
116
116
114


West Lothian
180
181
183
195
192
192
188
196


Total
6,386
6,337
6,397
6,368
6,336
6,249
6,381
6,341



  Note: 1. Includes minor revisions to figures published previously for Highland and South Lanarkshire.

Ministry of Defence

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation took place between the Ministry of Defence and the Executive’s Environment and Rural Affairs Department regarding the designation of Loch Eriboll as a firing practice area, as described in the 2005 version of Admiralty Chart No. 2076.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Ministry of Defence consulted the Executive’s Environment and Rural Affairs Department regarding the designation of Loch Eriboll as a firing practice area.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment is has made of the impact of the designation of Loch Eriboll as a firing practice area on the fish and shellfish farms in the loch.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to discuss the designation of Loch Eriboll as a firing practice area with fish and shellfish farmers and other users of the waters.

Rhona Brankin: The Ministry of Defence has advised that no recent change has been made to the military designation of Loch Eriboll nor its planned usage.

  Prior to 1999 most, but not all, navigational charts issued by the Hydrographic Office showed the words "Firing Practice Area (see note)" printed in the vicinity of a danger area, but that the actual boundaries were not shown, as this might have implied that there was a restriction on the right of innocent passage through a Territorial Sea. Subsequently a view was taken that all navigational charts should carry such warning notes if appropriate. This change in approach is now being reflected in all new editions of Hydrographic Office charts as they are updated, hence the recent change to Chart No. 2076.

  It follows therefore that there was no need for consultation between the Ministry of Defence and the Scottish Executive, nor has there been a need for an assessment of the impact on fish and shellfish farms, or for any discussions between the Executive and fish and shellfish farmers and other users of the loch.

National Health Service

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed by advocacy services, broken down by local authority area and what the total cost is of employing such staff.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times ministers have met chairpersons of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) in each year since 2000, broken down by (a) minister and (b) NDPB.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a statutory duty on non-departmental public bodies to have an equalities policy.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are currently no plans to introduce any statutory duty on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) to have an equalities policy. Consultation is currently under way on best value in public services, which includes equal opportunities. NDPBs already have a statutory duty to promote race equality which will extend to disability equality in 2006 and is expected to extend to gender equality in the near future.

Physical Education

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor the provision of two hours of quality physical education by 2008, as outlined in its Report of the Review Group on Physical Education, published in June 2004, and what progress is being made towards this target.

Peter Peacock: Baseline statistical data for all stages has been gathered from all education authority schools in Scotland on the current level of timetabled PE. The information is being analysed and is expected to be available in October 2005.

  The baseline data will be used by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education to monitor implementation of two hours PE as part of their inspection process. A further data gathering exercise planned for 2008 will provide information to assess progress towards delivery of two hours PE to all schoolchildren each week.

  In the meantime, a number of actions are being taken forward by the Scottish Executive to provide the support to help schools and local authorities act on the recommendations of the Physical Education Review Group. Teacher training establishments have increased the number of places available for trainee physical education teachers. Extra funding is being provided to support the recruitment of additional teachers from 2006-07 when the first of the additional PE teachers will start to be available. Initial work on the review of PE in the curriculum has begun and is likely to be followed early in 2006 by debate, testing, refinement and consideration of the proposals which emerge. Learning and Teaching Scotland held four regional seminars in March 2005 to raise awareness of the Physical Education Review Group report. I have approved funding to support a small number of pilot projects to inform strategies for delivering two hours of quality PE to every child each week. The projects will be showcased on the Learning and Teaching Scotland website.

Physical Education

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many regional seminars have been held to raise awareness of Report of the Review Group on Physical Education; when they were held, and in what venues.

Peter Peacock: Four regional seminars were held in March 2005 to raise awareness of the Report of the Review Group on Physical Education. The seminars were held in the Moat House Hotel, Glasgow; the Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh; the Hilton Treetops Hotel, Aberdeen, and the Hilton Hydro, Dunblane. All were well attended by local authorities, schools and others such as the higher education sector and Sportscotland. Notes, powerpoint presentations and evaluations from the seminars can be found at www.ltscotland.org.uk/5to14/features/pereview.asp .

Planning

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many agreements under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 have been signed by planning authorities in each year from 1999 to 2005 and for what purposes such agreements were concluded.

Johann Lamont: The following table shows the aggregated data received from planning authorities through their statistical returns and gives the numbers of planning applications and other consents determined where there was associated work on a Section 75 agreement. To put the figures in some context we have also included the number of planning applications and consents determined during the same period. Information on how many agreements have been signed and for what purposes such agreements were concluded is not held centrally.

  Completion by planning authorities of the statistical return is voluntary. Therefore there are some incomplete/missing returns.

  Table: Planning Applications Determined where there was an Associated S75 Agreement

  

Financial Year
No. of planning applications and consents determined
No. of S75 agreements associated with planning applications


April 1999 to March 2000
43,600
223


April 2000 to March 2001
41,626
184


April 2001 to March 2002
43,552
188


April 2002 to March 2003
48,003
223


April 2003 to March 2004
52,201
242


April 2004 to March 2005
55,701
280

Planning

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications approved by local authorities have been called in by the Executive in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Johann Lamont: The following table shows a breakdown of figures on a local authority basis concerning the number of planning applications called in by Scottish ministers in each year since 1999.

  

Authority
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005 to 1 Sept
Totals by Authority


Aberdeen
 
1
1
1
2
1
 
6


Aberdeenshire
1
 
1
2
 
8
 
12


Angus
 
 
 
 
1
 
 
1


Argyle and Bute
2
1
5
1
 
 
 
9


Borders
 
4
 
 
3
2
2
11


Dumfries and Galloway
1
 
1
 
 
 
 
2


Dundee 
 
 
 
 
 
2
 
2


East Ayrshire
1
 
1
 
 
1
 
3


East Dunbartonshire
1
 
 
 
 
 
 
1


East Lothian
 
 
 
 
 
1
 
1


East Renfrewshire
1
 
1
 
 
 
 
2


Edinburgh
2
 
2
 
 
1
 
5


Falkirk
 
2
 
3
 
2
 
7


Fife
2
 
 
1
1
1
1
6


Glasgow
2
 
2
 
 
 
 
4


Highland
6
4
11
 
2
1
2
26


Inverclyde
1
 
 
 
 
 
 
1


Loch Lomond NPA
 
 
 
 
 
1
 
1


Midlothian
4
5
3
3
1
 
 
16


Moray
 
2
1
 
 
6
 
9


North Ayrshire
1
 
2
 
 
1
 
4


North Lanarkshire
9
4
4
6
7
5
6
41


Orkney
 
 
 
 
 
2
 
2


Perth and Kinross
1
1
 
 
 
1
 
3


Shetland
1
 
 
 
1
 
 
2


South Ayrshire
2
1
 
 
 
 
1
4


South Lanarkshire
5
 
6
 
1
 
3
15


Stirling
 
 
 
 
1
1
 
2


Western Isles
 
 
 
 
1
 
 
1


West Lothian
1
5
 
1
2
 
 
9


Totals by Year
44
30
41
18
23
37
15
208

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16439 by Cathy Jamieson on 25 May 2005, whether it or the Scottish Prison Service will recommend to Premier Custodial Group Ltd that it implements the recommendations made by Sheriff Croan in his fatal accident report of November 2004 in respect of the appointment of designated watch officers in prisons.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  This is not necessary, as we understand from the company that they have already taken this action.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be allocated to each local authority over the next year for transitional throughcare for drug rehabilitation and support for prisoners released into the community.

Hugh Henry: Funds for voluntary throughcare, which includes the new Throughcare Addiction Service, are allocated to the Criminal Justice Groupings comprising individual local authorities. The following table shows the allocations to each grouping for 2005-06. A total of £2.4 million is being distributed amongst all the groupings and a further £0.4 million has been allocated between three groupings where the levels of known problem drug users are particularly high.

  The new "Throughcare Addictions Service" will help prisoners with drug/alcohol related difficulties to continue with treatment on their release from custody and so help them to break the cycle of crime-offending-custody.

  Throughcare Phase 2 Allocation 2005-06

  

Grouping/Single Authority 
Throughcare Phase 2 Allocation 2005-06 

Allocation of  £0.4 million to special areas 
Total Throughcare Phase 2 Allocation 2005-06 


Argyle and Bute-Dumbarton Group 
£105,065 
 
£105,065 


Ayrshire Partnership 
£175,069 
 
£175,069 


Dumfries and Galloway 
£58,176 
 
£58,176 


Fife 
£167,555 
 
£167,555 


Forth Valley 
£117,295 
 
£117,295 


Glasgow 
£567,072 
£196,000 
£763,072 


Lanarkshire Grouping 
£207,636 
 
£207,636 


Lothian Partnership 
£414,556 
£128,000 
£542,556 


Northern Partnership 
£204,563 
£76,000 
£280,563 


Renfrew and Inverclyde Grouping 
£214,486 

£214,486 


Tay Partnership 
£168,527 

£168,527 


Total 
£2,400,000 
£400,000 
£2,800,000 



  Note: Figures subject to rounding.

Renewable Energy

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will consider the need for a spatial framework or regional targets for wind farms as part of the review of National Planning Policy Guideline 6.

Malcolm Chisholm: These issues will be explored through the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) that is being undertaken as part of the review process. The SEA will inform revised policies that will be prepared in consultation with the Environmental Advisory Forum on Renewable Energy and following full public consultation.

Renewable Energy

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging the use of solar panels in new-build properties.

Malcolm Chisholm: Within the current Scottish building regulation energy standards, there are compliance options that take account of the positive influence of any solar panels installed in new buildings. A review of these energy standards is in progress and the options for further encouragement of building integrated renewable energy generation are under consideration. Implementation of any resulting revisions is planned for spring 2007. The Scottish Executive also currently works closely with the Department of Trade and industry to provide grants for building integrated renewable energy generation technologies.

Road Signs

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has that directional and distance signage for West Kilbride on the A78 Three Towns Bypass is appropriate; what impact the absence of direction and distance signage for West Kilbride has on the ability of road users to find the village, and when it will erect direction and distance signage that will allow road users to drive to the village without having to consult a map.

Tavish Scott: The signing exceeds national conventions and there is no record of road users experiencing difficulty in locating West Kilbride. There are no plans to add further signing.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish its programme of proposed trunk road improvement works so far as has been determined, showing details of each project and the band into which the estimated cost of each project will fall

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive updates its trunk road preparation programme on a regular quarterly basis and it is our intention to develop and place a summary of progress on the Scottish Executive website (under the section for Transport/Roads and Motorways/Trunk Roads/Management and Maintenance) following the conclusion of each quarterly review meeting.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns that the behaviour of demonstrators on the M74 project, such as by direct disruption or attempted disruption of construction work commencing, may cause delays and extra costs to the project and, if so, whether it will detail what concerns it has.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or the successful tenderers are responsible for the costs of security for the M74 project in providing security cover to cater for the risk of disruption and violence which may be caused by demonstrators against the project.

Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-10252 on 22 September 2004 and question S2W-13781 on 8 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Schools

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all schools which were (a) opened, (b) closed and (c) refurbished in each year since 1975, broken down by sector.

Peter Peacock: Systematic information on the opening and closing of schools was not collected before June 1995. The following tables provide details of primary, secondary and special schools opened and closed between June 1995 and July 2005. Both local authority and independent schools are included as well as schools that have merged to form new schools or have moved site. The information has been derived from information collected annually by the Scottish Executive Education Department on the opening and closing of schools.

  Local authorities are responsible for the management of school buildings, and the Scottish Executive does not collect detailed information from them on the wide range of school building projects they carry out. Such information as we do have indicates that between April 1999 and December 2004 local authorities progressed more than 400 capital projects on existing school buildings involving over £250k in a primary school and £500k in a secondary school.

  Table 1: Primary Schools Opened, by Year

  

Education Authority Area
School


1995
 


Highland
Gairloch Primary School


Perth and Kinross
Alyth Primary School


1996
 


Dundee City
St Luke’s and St Mathew’s RC Primary School


Dundee City
Newfields Primary School


East Lothian
Stoneyhill Primary School


Highland
Kirkhill Primary School


North Ayrshire
Caledonia Primary School


South Ayrshire
Wellington School *


Stirling
Newton primary School


1997
 


Dundee City
Sidlaw View Primary School


Fife
Bellyeoman Primary School


1998
 


Aberdeen City
Newhills Primary School


Edinburgh City
St Margaret’s School *


1999
 


Aberdeen City
Charleston School


Eilean Siar
Lewis Independent Christian School *


Glasgow City
Iqra Academy *


Glasgow City
Glasgow Gaelic Primary School


Inverclyde
Cedars School of Excellence *


North Lanarkshire
Alexander Peden Primary


2000
 


Angus
Rosemount Primary School


Highland
Strathpeffer Primary School


North Ayrshire
Lawthorn Primary School


North Lanarkshire
St Margaret of Scotland Primary School


2001
 


West Lothian
Livingston Village Primary School


2002
 


Edinburgh City
Craigroyston Primary School


Highland
Strathdearn Primary School


Renfrewshire
Living Waters School-Bellshill *


West Lothian
Linlithgow Bridge Primary School


2003
 


Edinburgh City
Craigour Park Primary


Edinburgh City
Castleview Primary School


Edinburgh City
Forthview Primary


Fife
Anstruther Primary School


Highland
Moray Firth School *


North Lanarkshire
St Andrew’s Primary School 


2004
 


2005 (to date)
 


Dundee City
Claypotts Castle Primary School


Edinburgh City
Currie Primary School


Edinburgh City
Canal View Primary School


Edinburgh City
Pentland Primary School


West Lothian
Cawburn Community Primary School



  Note: *Denotes Independent School.

  Table 2: Secondary Schools Opened, By Year

  

Education Authority Area
School


1995
 


Highland
Kinlochbervie High School


1996
 


South Ayrshire
Wellington School *


1997
 


Dumfries and Galloway
The Galloway Small School *


Dundee City
Baldragon Academy


1998
 


East Ayrshire
St Joseph’s Academy


Edinburgh City
St Margaret’s School *


Highland
Scoraig Secondary School *


1999
 


Inverclyde
Cedars School of Excellence *


2001
 


Dundee City
Imam Muhammad Zakariya School *


2002
 


Aberdeenshire
Meldrum Academy


Highland
Ardnamurchan High School


2003
 


Glasgow City
Iqra Academy *


2004
 


Aberdeen City
Springvale Education Trust *


Falkirk
Oakwood Education Trust *


Fife
Osborne House School *


2005 (to date)
 


Fife
Osborne House School -


South Lanarkshire
St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School



  Note: *Denotes Independent School.

  Table 3: Special Schools Opened, By Year

  


  
  1995 
  

 
  School 
  



  
  East Dunbartonshire 
  

  
  Campsie View School 
  



  
  North Ayrshire 
  

  
  Seafield School * 
  



  
  North Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Redburn School 
  



  
  North Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Willowbank School 
  



  
  South Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Hamilton School for the Deaf 
  



  
  1996 
  
 



  
  1997 
  
 



  
  North Lanarkshire 
  

  
  St Francis Unit, Plains * 
  



  
  Renfrewshire 
  

  
  St Francis Day Unit * 
  



  
  West Dunbartonshire 
  

  
  Kilpatrick School 
  



  
  West Lothian 
  

  
  Burnhouse School 
  



  
  1998 
  
 



  
  East Ayrshire 
  

  
  Daldorch House School * 
  



  
  North Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Portland high School 
  



  
  North Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Fallside School 
  



  
  Scottish Borders 
  

  
  The Wilton Centre 
  



  
  1999 
  
 



  
  Scottish Borders 
  

  
  Howdenburn Schoolhouse 
  



  
  South Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Rutherglen High School 
  



  
  2000 
  
 



  
  2001 
  
 



  
  Midlothian 
  

  
  Saltersgate School 
  



  
  2002 
  
 



  
  Edinburgh City 
  

  
  Rowanfield Special School 
  



  
  2003 
  
 



  
  Fife 
  

  
  Sycamore School 
  



  
  Glasgow City 
  

  
  St Mary’s Kenmuir * 
  



  
  Renfrewshire 
  

  
  Spark of Genius Learning Centre 
  



  
  2004 
  
 



  
  Renfrewshire 
  

  
  Johnstone Technical Education Centre * 
  



  
  West Lothian 
  

  
  Ogilvie School Campus 
  



  
  2005 
  
 



  
  Edinburgh City 
  

  
  Braidburn Special School 
  



  Note: *Denotes Independent School.

  Table 4: Primary Schools Closed, By Year

  

Education Authority Area
School


1995
 


Aberdeen City
Tillydrone School


Aberdeenshire
Lathallan pre-Preparatory School *


Dumfries & Galloway
Crawfordton House *


Edinburgh City
American School of Edinburgh *


Falkirk
Zetland Primary School


Glasgow City
St Francis Primary School–Merrylee *


Highland
Achnacarry Primary School


Orkney Islands
Holm Primary School


1996
 


Aberdeenshire
Esslemont Primary School


Angus
Clova Primary School


Angus
Padanaram Primary School


Clackmannanshire
Hawkhill Primary School


Dundee City
Greenfield Primary School


Dundee City
Kellyfield Primary School


Dundee City
Rockwell Primary School


Dundee City
St Luke’s RC Primary School


Dundee City
St Mathew’s RC Primary


East Ayrshire
Crookedholm Primary School


East Ayrshire
Grougar Primary School


East Ayrshire
St Paul’s Primary School


East Ayrshire
St Thomas’ Primary School


East Ayrshire
St Clare’s Primary School


Eilean Siar
Galson Primary School


Glasgow City
Our Lady & St Margaret’s Primary School


Glasgow City 
St Constantine’s Primary School


Glasgow City
Shakespeare Primary School


Glasgow City
Abbotsford Primary School


Glasgow City
Cleddans Primary School


Glasgow City
Laurel Bank *


Glasgow City
The Park School *


Highland
Drumbeg Primary School


Highland
Inchmore Primary School


Highland
Kirkton Primary School


Highland
Knockbain Primary School


North Ayrshire
Argyle Primary School


North Ayrshire
Kyleshill Primary School


South Ayrshire
Drumley House *


South Ayrshire
Wellington School*


South Lanarkshire
Springbank School


Stirling
Croftamie Primary School


Stirling
Arnprior primary School


West Dunbartonshire
Faifley Primary School


1997
 


Aberdeenshire
Fraserburgh Infant School


Argyll and Bute
Ardentinny Primary School


Argyll and Bute
Dalavich Primary School


Argyll and Bute
Kerrera Primary School


Dumfries and Galloway
Kilquhanity House School *


Dundee City
Gillburn Primary School


Dundee City
West March Primary School


Glasgow City
Levern Primary School


Glasgow City
Queenslie Primary School


Glasgow City
St Bonaventure’s Primary School


Highland
Lieurary Primary School


Highland
Scotsburn Primary


Moray
Abbeylands School


Moray
The Green School *


Scottish Borders
Foulden Primary School


Shetland Islands
Haroldswick Primary School


West Lothian
Almondbank Primary School


1998
 


Aberdeen City
The Hillocks School


Aberdeen City
Cloverfield School


Aberdeen City
Deeview Nursery/Infant School


Aberdeen City
Walker Dam Nursery/Infant School


Aberdeenshire
Greeness School


Aberdeenshire
Corgarff School


Argyll and Bute
St John’s Episcopal Primary School


Argyll and Bute
Rashfield Primary School


Edinburgh City
St Denis and Cranley School *


Edinburgh City
St Margaret’s School for Girls *


Highland
Kensaleyre Primary School


Perth and Kinross
Amulree Primary School


Stirling
Kinbuck Primary School


Stirling
Kinlochard Primary School


1999
 


Aberdeen City
Kingswood Nursery/Infant School


Aberdeenshire
Crossroads School


Aberdeenshire
Glen Morven School *


Angus
The Sidlaw School *


Argyll and Bute
Park Lodge School *


Argyll and Bute
Portnahaven Primary School


East Dunbartonshire
Gask House School *


Edinburgh City
Craigmillar Primary School


Glasgow City
Torass Emess Jewish Day School *


North Lanarkshire
Benhar Primary School


North Lanarkshire
Harthill Primary School


Perth and Kinross
Edradour School *


2000
 


Aberdeen City
Ashgrove Children’s Centre


Aberdeenshire
Maryculter East School


Angus
Craigo Primary School


Angus
Hillside Primary School


Dumfries and Galloway
Westerkirk School


Dumfries and Galloway
Auldgirth School


East Dunbartonshire
Atholl Preparatory School *


Eilean Siar
Manish Primary School


Highland
Loch Choire Primary


Highland
Contin Primary School


Highland
Fodderty Primary School


Moray
Boharm School


Moray
Edinville School


Moray
Glenrinnes School


North Lanarkshire
Glenhead Primary School


North Lanarkshire
Langlands Primary School


North Lanarkshire
Melrose Primary School


North Lanarkshire
Sacred Heart Primary School


North Lanarkshire
St Joseph’s Primary School


Orkney Islands
Egilsay Primary School


Perth and Kinross
Croftinloan School *


Scottish Borders
Traquair Primary School


West Dunbartonshire
Keil School *


West Dunbartonshire
Keil Junior School *


2001
 


Angus
St Vigean’s Primary School


Dumfries and Galloway
Cademuir International School *


Eilean Siar
Fidigarry Primary School


Eilean Siar
Knockiandue Primary School


Fife
Kingdom Christian School *


Glasgow City
Laurel Park School *


Highland
Assynt Primary School


Highland
Glenborrodale Primary School


West Lothian
Abercorn Primary School


2002
 


Dumfries and Galloway
All Souls RC Primary School


Dumfries and Galloway
Laurieston School


Dumfries and Galloway
St Cuthbert’s RC School


Edinburgh City
Muirhouse Primary School


Edinburgh City
Silverknowes Primary School


Edinburgh City
Fernieside Primary School


Edinburgh City
Moredun Primary School


Eilean Siar
Dunskellar Primary School


Glasgow City
Broadholm Primary School


Glasgow City
St Clare’s Primary School


Glasgow City
St Pius’ Primary School


Glasgow City
Hawthorn Primary School


Glasgow City
St Colette’s Primary School


Glasgow City
Netherton Primary School


Highland
Moy Primary School


Highland
Raigbeg Primary School


Perth and Kinross
Rannoch School *


2003
 


Aberdeen City
Greenfern Nursery/Infant School


Aberdeenshire
Kildrummy School


Argyll and Bute
Newton Primary School


Dumfries and Galloway
Corsock School


Edinburgh City
Greendykes Primary School


Edinburgh City
Peffermill Primary School


Edinburgh City
Craigmuir Primary School


Edinburgh City
Inchview Primary School


Fife
Cellardyke Primary School


Fife
Anstruther Wester Primary School


Fife
Inchkeith School *


Glasgow City
Iqra Academy *


Highland
Dulchreichard Primary School


Perth and Kinross
Butterstone School *


Renfrewshire
Living Waters Christian School *


2004
 


Angus
Careston Primary School


Argyll and Bute
Bridge Of Orchy Primary


Dumfries and Galloway
Dundrennan School


Edinburgh City
Orwell Primary School


Glasgow City
London Road Primary School


Glasgow City
Leithland Primary School


Glasgow City
Braeside Primary School


Glasgow City
Lochgoin Primary School


Glasgow City
Ruchazie Primary School


Glasgow City
St Philip’s Primary School


Glasgow City
St Julie’s Primary School


Glasgow City
Springfield Primary School


Glasgow City
St Elizabeth Seton Primary School


Glasgow City
Lamlash Primary School


Glasgow City
Littlehill Primary School


Glasgow City
Bonnyholm Primary School


Glasgow City
Barrowfield Primary School


Highland
Achnasheen Primary School


Inverclyde
Holy Cross Primary School


Inverclyde
St Mungo’s Primary School


Inverclyde
Springfield Primary School


Inverclyde
Boglestone Primary School


Inverclyde
Holy Family Primary School


Midlothian
Howgate Primary School


Moray
Aberlour House Preparatory School *


Perth and Kinross
St Fillans Primary School


Scottish Borders
Oxnam Primary School


Scottish Borders
Teviothead Primary School


Scottish Borders
Cranshaws Primary School


Shetland Islands
Quarff Primary School


Stirling
Holy Trinity Episcopal Primary School


West Dunbartonshire
Milton Primary School


2005 (to date)
 


Aberdeenshire
Cairnorrie Primary School


Angus
Dun Primary School


Angus
Pitkennedy Primary School


Dumfries and Galloway
Wamphray School


Dumfries and Galloway
Eskdalemuir Primary School


Edinburgh City
Comiston Primary School


Edinburgh City
Dumbryden Primary School


Edinburgh City
Hailesland Primary School


Edinburgh City
Hunter’s Tryst Primary School


Edinburgh City
Curriehill Primary School


Edinburgh City
Riccarton Primary School


Eilean Siar
Berneray Primary School


Fife
Kemback Primary School


Glasgow City
Holmlea Primary School


Glasgow City
St Margaret Mary’s Primary School


Glasgow City
Simshill Primary School


Highland
Soay Primary School


Inverclyde
King’s Glen Primary School


North Lanarkshire
St James’ Primary School


Scottish Borders
Glen Douglas Primary School


Scottish Borders
Burnmouth Primary School


Scottish Borders
Hutton Primary School


West Lothian
Pumpherston Primary School


West Lothian
Uphall Station Infant School



  Note: *Denotes Independent School.

  Table 5: Secondary Schools Closed, By Year

  

Education Authority Area
School


1995
 


Dumfries and Galloway
Crawfordton House *


Edinburgh City
American School of Edinburgh *


Perth and Kinross
Alyth Secondary School


1996
 


Dundee City
Linlathen High School


Dundee City
Whitfield High School


Glasgow City
Laurel Bank *


Glasgow City
The Park School *


South Ayrshire
Drumley House *


South Ayrshire
Wellington *


1997
 


Dumfries and Galloway
Kilquhanity House School *


Dundee City
Kirkton High School


Dundee City
Rockwell High School


Glasgow City
John Bosco Secondary School


1998
 


Angus
Newtyle Secondary School


East Ayrshire
St Joseph’s Academy- Kilmarnock Campus


East Ayrshire
St Joseph’s Academy- Cumnock Campus


Edinburgh City
St Denis and Cranley School *


Edinburgh City
St Margaret’s School for Girls *


Glasgow City
St Gerard’s Secondary School


Glasgow City
Garthamlock Secondary School


Glasgow City
North Kelvinside Secondary School


Glasgow City
St Augustine’s Secondary School


Glasgow City
St Leonard’s Secondary School


Glasgow City
John Street Secondary School


Glasgow City
Victoria Drive Secondary School


Moray
Moray Steiner School *


1999
 


Glasgow City
Crookston Castle Secondary School


Glasgow City
Woodside Secondary School


Perth and Kinross
Edradour School *


2000
 


Dumfries and Galloway
The Galloway Small School *


Perth and Kinross
Croftinloan School *


West Dunbartonshire
Keil School *


2001
 


Fife
Kingdom Christian School *


Glasgow City
Laurel Park School *


Renfrewshire
St Mirin’s High School


2002
 


Aberdeen City
Linksfield Academy


Eilean Siar
Lews Castle School


Perth and Kinross
Rannoch School *


Renfrewshire
Merksworth High School


2003
 


Glasgow City
Glasgow Steiner School *


Glasgow City
Iqra Academy *


Perth and Kinross
Butterstone School *


Renfrewshire
Living Waters Christian School *


2004
 


Highland
Scoraig Secondary School *


Moray
Aberlour House Preparatory School *


2005 (to date)
 


South Lanarkshire
Ballerup High School


South Lanarkshire
St Bride’s High School


South Lanarkshire
St Andrew’s High School



  Note: *Denotes Independent School.

  Table 6: Special Schools Closed, By Year

  


  
  1995 
  

 
  School 
  



  
  East Dunbartonshire 
  

  
  Langbrae School 
  



  
  East Dunbartonshire 
  

  
  Waverly Park School 
  



  
  Glasgow City 
  

  
  Woodcroft School 
  



  
  Glasgow City 
  

  
  Kirkton School 
  



  
  Moray 
  

  
  Cranloch School 
  



  
  North Ayrshire 
  

  
  Southannan School * 
  



  
  North Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Hillview School 
  



  
  North Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Mossknowe School 
  



  
  North Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Willowbank School 
  



  
  Renfrewshire 
  

  
  Gateside School 
  



  
  South Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Viewpark Special School 
  



  
  1996 
  
 



  
  Moray 
  

  
  Hamilton Drive School 
  



  
  1997 
  
 



  
  West Dunbartonshire 
  

  
  Elmwood School 
  



  
  West Dunbartonshire 
  

  
  Auchentoshan School 
  



  
  West Dunbartonshire 
  

  
  Mount Blow School 
  



  
  1998 
  
 



  
  East Ayrshire 
  

  
  West Park School 
  



  
  Fife 
  

  
  Ovenstone School 
  



  
  Fife 
  

  
  Melville house School 
  



  
  Glasgow City 
  

  
  Glasgow School for the Deaf 
  



  
  Glasgow City 
  

  
  Parkhouse School 
  



  
  Midlothian 
  

  
  St Joseph’s School 
  



  
  Perth and Kinross 
  

  
  Lendrick Muir School * 
  



  
  Scottish Borders 
  

  
  Monksford School * 
  



  
  1999 
  
 



  
  Aberdeen City 
  

  
  Pitfodels School 
  



  
  Moray 
  

  
  Ogilvie School 
  



  
  2000 
  
 



  
  Aberdeenshire 
  

  
  Ramsay School 
  



  
  Fife 
  

  
  Linwood Hall School 
  



  
  North Lanarkshire 
  

  
  Deanbank School 
  



  
  West Dunbartonshire 
  

  
  Middlemuir School 
  



  
  2001 
  
 



  
  Highland 
  

  
  Raddery School * 
  



  
  Midlothian 
  

  
  Lugton School 
  



  
  Midlothian 
  

  
  Westfield School 
  



  
  2002 
  
 



  
  Aberdeen City 
  

  
  Carden School 
  



  
  Dumfries and Galloway 
  

  
  The Gilmour Centre * 
  



  
  Edinburgh City 
  

  
  Piershill School 
  



  
  Edinburgh City 
  

  
  Drylaw School 
  



  
  Falkirk 
  

  
  Rossvail School 
  



  
  2003 
  
 



  
  Aberdeen City 
  

  
  Redcraigs 
  



  
  South Ayrshire 
  

  
  Rosebank School 
  



  
  South Ayrshire 
  

  
  Red Brae School * 
  



  
  2004 
  
 



  
  Dumfries and Galloway 
  

  
  Woodlands School * 
  



  
  Orkney Islands 
  

  
  Glaitness Aurrida School 
  



  
  Perth and Kinross 
  

  
  Redgorton House School * 
  



  
  2005 (to date) 
  
 



  
  Edinburgh City 
  

  
  Graysmill School 
  



  
  Edinburgh City 
  
  
  Willowpark School 
  



  Note: *Denotes Independent School.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £18,848,000, shown under the "Other miscellaneous" category in table 1.07 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: In 2007-08 the level 3 Other Miscellaneous budget will be used to fund a variety of justice – related services. These include: civil contingencies, civil and criminal law research projects, civil justice publications and public information, criminal justice joint working fund, family mediation bodies, Immigration Advisory Service, in-court advice projects, Lord Lieutenants’ expenses, the Parole Board, pilot projects under part V of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986, Prisoner Complaints Commission, publications for Sheriffs, Risk Management Authority, Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman, Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal, Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, Scottish Prisons Inspectorate, Scottish Crime and Victimisation Survey, and the Sentencing Commission.

  It is standard practice for the Justice Finance Team to provide the two Justice Committees with a full breakdown of the Justice Budget to level 4 to assist the Committees in their consideration of the Justice Budget. Arrangements are already in hand for this information to be forwarded to the Justice Committees for this year’s budget process. A copy of this information will be forwarded to Mr Brownlee when it issues shortly.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £12 million, shown under the "Reducing re-offending" category in table 1.13 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: The specific allocation of these funds is yet to be determined. However, as stated in the Draft Budget 2006-07 "among the purposes for which we intend to use this fund are supporting the proposals in the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Etc Bill for new Community Justice Authorities and the creation of new area plans for offender management. Money will also be made available to ensure that our proposed reforms to the summary justice system (set out in "Smarter Justice, Safer Communities – Summary Justice Reform, Next Steps") are realised, leading to faster and more efficient handling of less serious cases."

  The total cost of funding Community Justice Authorities will depend on the number of such authorities which is currently subject to discussion with local authorities. The costs of a single Community Justice Authority are also likely to depend on their boundaries. We expect that the number of Community Justice Authorities will represent a reduction from the current 14 Criminal Justice Social Work Groupings/Unitary Authorities. The estimated annual cost of a single Community Justice Authority is around £200,000.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £4,325,000, shown under the "Festivals" category in table 4.06 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: The £4.325 million will be used to fund several special events and festivals being initiated by the Executive over the next four years. This includes £3 million for the 6 Cities Design Festival in 2007 and £1.325 million for initial work to develop Scotland’s Year of Homecoming in 2009, which is the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns’ birth.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £10,443,000, shown under the "Miscellaneous other Health Services" category in table 5.05 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: The "Miscellaneous other Health Services" line in table 5.05 covers expenditure on the following areas:

  National Professional Advisory Committee;

  NHS helpline;

  Scottish Cancer Group;

  Legal expenses of haemophiliacs with HIV/Hepatitis C;

  Hepatitis C Ex-gratia Payment Scheme;

  British Standards Institute;

  Infant feeding survey;

  Misuse of drugs tribunal;

  Tribunal and appeal hearings;

  Radiological protection;

  Scottish Health Survey;

  International co-operation;

  Medicines and related products testing;

  Property and Environment Forum;

  Consultancy services;

  Stationery and printing;

  Committees and conferences;

  Payments to the Office of National Statistics;

  Cost of collection for National Insurance contributions;

  Emergency planning, and

  Scottish Partnership for palliative care.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £46,031,000, shown under the "Health Improvement" category in table 5.06 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: The "Health Improvement" line in table 5.06 covers expenditure on the following areas:

  Health improvement-general;

  Demonstration projects and learning;

  Healthy eating;

  Alcohol abuse;

  Physical activity;

  Health improvement-community;

  Screening and surveillance;

  Workplace health improvement;

  Healthy eating in schools;

  Glasgow Centre for population health, and

  Public health.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £383,618,000, shown under the "Supporting People" category in table 7.03 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive provides the Supporting People grant to local authorities to fund any of the 21 prescribed housing support services set out in annex A. The breakdown of funding in 2007-08 against the different categories of service will vary depending on local circumstances and needs in each local authority area at the time. No estimate is held centrally. However, local authorities are obliged to report on how funding has been used. In due course local authorities will therefore provide a breakdown of how funding is spent in 2007-08, against the different client groups supported and the nature of the support provided.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £21,650,000, shown under the "Waste Initiatives" category in table 9.05 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: We intend to use these resources on a grant scheme for local authorities to clean up contaminated land and on initiatives which help to deliver the National Waste Plan. These initiatives relate to the development of markets for recycled products, waste prevention, waste awareness, business resource efficiency, support for the community recycling sector and Eco-Schools.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £132,633,000, shown under the "Strategic Waste Fund" category in table 9.05 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: We intend to distribute the Strategic Waste Fund to local authorities to prevent waste arisings, to improve recycling and composting facilities, to invest in infrastructure to divert waste away from landfill and to support education and awareness campaigns.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the budget allocation for Level 3 spending category "International Relations", shown in table 10.07 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, has increased by the amount that it has in the three years from 2005-06.

Mr Tom McCabe: 2005-06 is the first full-year of three initiatives which are funded through the International Relations spending category. These are: the promotion of Scotland’s International Image (£4 million per year); the campaign to attract Fresh Talent to Scotland (£1.7 million per year), and the Executive’s support for Scotland’s contribution to international development (£3 million per year).

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to integrated community schools this year and in each of the next three years and from which Level 3 spending category of the Draft Budget 2006-07.

Mr Tom McCabe: Funding for Integrated Community Schools is made available to local authorities through the National Priorities Action Fund which supports a number of programmes of activity around various ministerial priorities. As outlined in my response to questions S2W-18954 (answered 13 September 2005), local authorities have the flexibility to target the gross allocation made available through the fund in ways which best suit their local community and circumstances.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to the GP IT programme in each of the next three years and from which Level 3 spending category of the Draft Budget 2006-07.

Mr Tom McCabe: A total of £11 million has been expressly identified for GP IT support within allocations to health boards for 2005-6. There has been no identification of specific funds for 2006-07 or 2007-08. This funding is included within the "Total available for NHS and Special Health Boards" line in table 5.03 of the Draft Budget 2006-07.

Scottish Executive Budget

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to the single electronic patient record system in each of the next three years and from which Level 3 spending category of the Draft Budget 2006-07.

Mr Tom McCabe: Revenue funding for Information Technology (eHealth) of £35.3-£65.3 million and £100.3 million for 2005-06 to 2007-08 respectively is shown in table 5.03 of the Draft Budget 2006-07. Our eHealth strategy includes the development of single electronic patient record system and we are currently investigating a range of options for the delivery of such a system. Depending on the outcome of that investigation appropriate allocations will be made to the single record project as well as to a broad range of infrastructure projects, such as improved communications networks and access to workstations which are required to support it. It is expected that there will be a continuing need for local health board as well as central funds to support the achievement of our strategy. Funding for equipment will also be available from within the capital line which is also shown in table 5.03.

Scottish Executive Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £83,653,000, shown under the "Children and families" category of table 3.04 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: The allocation under the "Children and families" category will support our Partnership Agreement commitments to invest in and reform children’s services through the delivery of a package of integrated policies and funding programmes. These include the integrated children’s services agenda, the child protection reform programme, children’s rights and support for the voluntary sector. Policies and programmes will be delivered in partnership with local authorities, NHS boards, the voluntary sector and other planning and delivery partners.

Scottish Executive Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £180,196,000, shown under the "National Priorities Action Fund" category in table 3.05 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: The National Priorities Action Fund plays a key role in providing financial support for the Government’s key commitments of raising standards in schools and promoting social inclusion. The fund supports a number of programmes of activity around various ministerial priorities. Local authorities have the flexibility to target the gross allocation made available through the fund in ways which best suit their local community and circumstances. The ministerial priorities in 2007-08 will be determined in due course.

Scottish Executive Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of what the 2007-08 allocation of £96,392,000, shown under the "Offender services" category in table 1.04 of its Draft Budget 2006-07, will be used for.

Mr Tom McCabe: In 2007-08 the level 3 Offender Services budget will be used to fund various alternatives to custody, including community-based supervision of offenders provided by local authority criminal justice social work services. Principal areas of expenditure are: addiction services, arrest referral, bail information and supervision schemes, community reparation orders, community service, court services, deferred sentences, diversion from prosecution, behavioural programmes addressing domestic violence and sex offending, drug and youth court pilots, drug treatment and testing orders plus a range of initiatives aimed at tackling drug-related crime, post-release supervision, probation, restriction of liberty orders (electronic tagging), supervised attendance orders, social enquiry reports, support programmes, supported accommodation for offenders, throughcare, and the Glasgow timeout facility.

  It is standard practice for the Justice Finance Team to provide the two Justice Committees with a full breakdown of the Justice Budget to level 4 to assist the committees in their consideration of the Justice Budget. Arrangements are already in hand for this information to be forwarded to the Justice Committees for this year’s budget process. A copy of this information will be forwarded to Mr Brownlee when it issues shortly.

Scottish Executive Procurement

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14460 by Mr Tom McCabe on 14 March 2005, when the construction procurement manual will be published.

Mr Tom McCabe: Further changes to the proposed guidance were necessitated by a planned amendment to UK procurement regulations to reflect a recent European Court of Justice ruling. The guidance is about to be handed over to web publishers and we expect that the construction procurement manual will be available on-line by the end of October 2005.

Scottish Executive Staff

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18162 by Hugh Henry on 16 August 2005, how long the team of 27 Accountant in Bankruptcy staff will be retained in Edinburgh; what the cost is of maintaining the office in Edinburgh; what the total cost has been to date of the process of relocating the service from Edinburgh to Irvine, including the cost of the initial feasibility study, and what the estimated cost is of training the new staff in Irvine to ensure that they can carry out their duties to the required standard.

Hugh Henry: I have asked Gillian Thompson, Chief Executive of Accountant in Bankruptcy to respond. Her response is as follows

  As part of the transitional arrangements to transfer work, the agency has a planned programme of reducing staff numbers. At present, the programme allows for an office in Edinburgh for the next 18 months. During September the staff numbers located in Edinburgh will reduce to 48. In addition to the 25 staff (reduced from 27) dealing with case enquiries there are 13 staff providing essential support services to colleagues in Ayrshire, in areas such as Finance and IT and a further 10 staff working on a major IT project replacing the Agency’s case management system, which is due for completion in early 2006. The number of staff in Edinburgh is under regular review and it may be possible to close the office more quickly, but that depends on the success of the work transfer. Currently the transfer is progressing at an appropriate rate, bearing in mind the technical nature of the work.

  Staff costs in relation to the Edinburgh office are £109,000 per month but these will decrease in line with the reduction of staff as work is transferred to Ayrshire. In addition rent, rates and other overheads are running at £11,000 per month.

  For the financial year 2004-05 the cost of the relocation process was £1.25 million. For the current financial year, the cost is estimated to be £2.9 million. In the event that it proves possible to close the Edinburgh office earlier than currently planned then this cost will be less. The cost of the initial feasibility study was £11,000.

  Training of new staff also impacts on the transfer of work strategy. The training plan covered both the technical and personal development of staff with some 50 training sessions, averaging two days per session, having been delivered by in-house trainers between November 2004 and March 2005. As the sessions were delivered by in-house staff there were no additional real costs incurred, however the input in staff time is estimated to be £20,000. In addition the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) delivered in-depth technical training over three two-day sessions at a cost of £12,000.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) will seek the views of representatives of fishermen’s organisations during its scoping study into possible locations for a marine national park.

Ross Finnie: I have asked SNH to work closely with relevant stakeholders in developing its advice to me on coastal and marine national parks. SNH has already written to a very wide range of organisations inviting input in writing or via a website message board. In addition, SNH has established a stakeholder group as a sounding board which includes members of fisheries bodies representing fishing interests across Scotland.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is an appropriate body to conduct any assessment of the impact of a marine national park on the fishing industry.

Ross Finnie: I am satisfied that SNH is the appropriate body to undertake an assessment of the issues relevant to establishment of a coastal and marine national park. I have therefore asked SNH to make recommendations on candidate areas and on the aims, powers and governance of a coastal and marine national park along with estimates of its running costs. Following submission of that advice, it would be my intention to undertake a full public consultation which would allow all interested parties to respond to the proposals.

Social Economy

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been received for Futurebuilders Scotland and, of these, how many have been (a) successful and (b) rejected.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  As of 9 September 2005, the number of application received for Futurebuilders Scotland funding was 1,025, of these 273 were successful, and 368 were unsuccessful with the remainder under active consideration. Applications continue to be received.

Social Inclusion

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the National Action Plan on Social Inclusion will reflect Scottish issues and how resources will be directed at these issues to address them successfully.

Malcolm Chisholm: The National Action Plan (NAP) will reflect a wide range of issues raised in Scotland and across the UK through a consultation process and through policy development by government.

  The Executive is already taking action in Scotland, to address many of the issues raised in the last NAP, and those likely to be raised, through its Closing the Opportunity Gap approach. We will consider what additional action may be needed after the next NAP is published as part of the on-going policy process.

Social Inclusion

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive who will be consulted in the process of developing the National Action Plan on Social Inclusion.

Malcolm Chisholm: A UK Steering Group of government and voluntary sector representatives has been established to co-ordinate the production of the next national action plan. This includes Scottish representation from the Scottish Executive and the Poverty Alliance.

  Views of those with direct experience of poverty, and their representatives, are being collated by the voluntary sector through use of the Get Heard Toolkit at a series of local, regional and national events across the UK. Over 40 Scottish local consultation events are planned.

Social Inclusion

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the National Action Plan on Social Inclusion is integrated into its current strategies and future budgets.

Malcolm Chisholm: The National Action Plan on Social Inclusion is integrated into our current strategies and future budgets by reflecting and informing our cross-departmental Closing the Opportunity Gap approach to tackling poverty and disadvantage.

Sport

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote tennis in Scotland.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is available to tennis clubs to widen access to and encourage young people to participate in the sport.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive is committed to increasing opportunities to participate in all sports, including tennis. Executive funding for sport is routed through  sportscotland with investment in individual sports made in support of the development plan for the sport and its contribution in helping meet the targets set out in Sport 21, the national strategy for sport in Scotland. In the current year,  sportscotland is investing £227,000 in tennis through Tennis Scotland. In addition to this, individual tennis clubs can apply for funding from the various programmes operated by  sportscotland. A number of tennis players have also been identified by Tennis Scotland to receive individual tailored support programmes delivered through the Scottish Institute of Sport and the Area Institute network to help their progression to the top levels of the sport.

Voluntary Sector

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to improve the funding of Council for Voluntary Service social care providers.

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the two-tier workforce agreement to include Council for Voluntary Service employees who provide statutory and social care services.

Malcolm Chisholm: Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS) do not provide social care services. Instead, they support voluntary organisations around their common needs and interests, helping them become more effective and efficient. CVS also represent voluntary organisations on a wide range of forums, including Community Planning Partnerships, Rural Partnerships and thematic groups covering issues as diverse as community learning, community safety and the social economy.